Patna: Sheela Devi, the councillor of ward number 33, has been diagnosed with dengue.

She has been admitted at the Kankarbagh-based Sai Hospital since Tuesday night. Devi tested positive for dengue through rapid diagnostic test conducted at the same hospital. Mayor Sita Sahu also went to meet Devi at the hospital on Wednesday evening.

Devi's husband said she contracted the vector-borne disease in Patna itself as she didn't have a travel history of visiting any dengue-affected area outside the state in the recent past. Devi's husband, Sanjeev Kumar, also went on to claim that fogging was not being properly done in ward number 33 even though a few dengue cases had been reported from the ward.

"We got to know from the people of the ward that at least four patients of dengue have been detected in the ward. We live in Malahi Pakdi area. The fogging has been last conducted seven days ago but it was not properly done. The municipal corporation is supposed to get fogging done in localities on a roster basis. Sometimes, their fogging machine do not work properly, sometime they do fogging only for a limited period of time. The way it should be done is not being done. I have requested mayor Sita Sahu to look into this and have also asked her for getting larvicide treatment done in the ward," said Sanjeev.

He added: "Though larvicide treatment has been conducted in the other wards, in our ward it is yet to be done despite dengue cases being reported."

Residents can call the district malaria office at 7070519094 for getting anti-larvae treatment done in their locality.

Sanjeev said the district civil surgeon office on Thursday morning took a blood sample of his wife to get the Elisa test done at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). Even if rapid diagnostic test confirms dengue status of any person, the health departments get Elisa test done of that person as it considers Elisa test as the confirmatory test. Asked about the councillor's husband's claim that fogging was not being conducted properly in the various wards, deputy municipal commissioner Vishal Anand said the PMC was on its toes for getting fogging done in various wards and that 10 fogging machines were being used.

"We have also started larvicide treatment on our own. Though the health department conducts larvicide treatment in the areas wherein dengue cases have been reported, this year we have also taken up the work in our hands and have started conducting larvicide in the Kankarbagh circle. It will soon be started in other circles," he said.

The total number of cases of dengue in the state reached 100 on Wednesday of which 62 were from Patna while 33 chikungunya cases were reported in the state of which 24 were from Patna, said the additional director-cum-state programme officer, vector-borne disease control programme, M.P. Sharma.